THE SUSPECTS

Liz turned the page.

She realized Will had yet to come up in Alison's diary. Perhaps he contributed nothing to her life after all?

If not Will, maybe Alison's own personal issues led her to die.

If anyone did cause her fall, maybe this Diamond boy. But what did he do? Promise to "show her the world?" Did he turn his back on her and this sent her off the roof? --No. Alison went into a coma her last day of winter finals. She wouldn't have been disappointed if Diamond went back on his deal because winter break hadn't come yet. Even if Diamond had called her to cancel the arrangement the early morning before Alison jumped, Liz believes Alison wouldn't be irrational enough to end her life over a trip to Paris or Italy.

How about the boyfriend.

Joshua.

He seems like a jerk. What's worse than false promises for European vacation? Someone who undermines Alison's work ethic.

Obviously, Joshua envies Alison for her academic success. He's only rank 30 while she's rank 1. But why should he care? She attends the senior class while he attends the junior class, so they belong to different rankings. What kind of lunatic would sabotage Alison over such an unhealthy obsession. Who cares what your class rank is, Liz thought. Are colleges so competitive these days, it matters?

Even if Joshua was responsible for Alison's coma, what did he do? Go to her house, push her off the stairs?

Alison dreams of burglars. Maybe her killer was a simple burglar.

Liz looked to the clock: 12:48-- twelve minutes before the prosecution expected her downstairs. The court case begins at 1:30ish.

Danny said the judge demands a speedy trial.

She has little to tell the judge so far. Besides Alison's stress, besides her decision to isolate herself, besides her irritation to Joshua's discouragement, her problems epitomize the academically excellent American teenager. Successful, hard-working, time-jammed, stressed, and fighting peer-pressure to slack off by her boyfriend. Why should she kill herself? Why would anyone try to hurt her?

Anna cares only about herself. She would have little time to plot against Alison. She has boys to think about.

Abbey, Miss Class-Rank-2, must be a maniac to ruin Alison's career over 1 class rank. As smart as Alison boasts about her, Abbey would know SAT, gpa, letters of rec, College essays, makes more difference to colleges than to gain valedictorian status.

Mother and Father have no place in Alison's diary. Besides the part about Father who ordered her to sleep before three A.M., Alison speaks little about them.

Will appears nowhere in the diary so far. If he played a major part in her fall, then Alison sees nothing coming.

Joshua seems like a jerk. Maybe he'd be one to burglarize her house. But kill? No.

Diamond has no motive to burglarize, nor kill. Diamond enjoys his mansion.

Liz checked the clock. Twelve fifty. Ten more minutes before she had to be downstairs.

Alison mumbled:

"Cole?"

Liz returned to the diary.

"Sorry, Ali. I was just thinking. . ."